2017 Fall EH Courses
Literature Course Descriptions
EH 165: Poverty and the American Dream (or “American Inequality”) (ES)
Ashe, TTH 9:30-10:50
America has tended to view itself as a society without deep divisions of social class, a “land of
opportunity” where everyone is given an equal opportunity for success. Even now, as economic
inequality has become a major part of the national discussion, most people tend to be overlook
the role of socio-economic class in everything from educational opportunities to what they buy
or watch or listen to. In her book Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich claims that “some odd
optical property of our highly polarized and unequal society makes the poor almost invisible to
their economic superiors” (216). This course will mix literary depictions with economic,
sociological, and journalistic discussion—along with hands-on service work with Birmingham
city high school students—to try to make poverty and the class underpinnings of society visible
to incoming freshmen.
EH 210-A: Introduction to Fiction—
Everyone’s a Storyteller
Archer, MW 12:30-1:50
Storytelling was crucial to the development of human beings as a species. Early human beings
used storytelling to pass on their culture, spread the news, and gather in groups for entertainment.
Storytelling plays an important role in our own prehistory as individuals. Parents and other adults
read us storybooks and pass on family and lore cautionary tales. We ourselves are storytellers as
we recount our day to friends.
In Introduction to Fiction, EH 210A, we will read fiction that does some or all of these things.
Stories will include classics, contemporary fiction, and even graphic fiction. We will also read
one novel.
The primary intent of this course is to make reading fiction enjoyable. Of course, you will write
two short papers (there is that) and take two exams. But class experience depends on student
opinion and your honest response to the readings.
EH 210-B: Introduction to Fiction
Ullrich, TTH 9:30-10:50
This course is designed to introduce the student to the study of short fiction and the novel at the
college level. The primary goals of the course are (1) to introduce the student to the pleasures
and rigors of sophisticated literary analysis, (2) to develop the skills necessary to appreciate
literature, (3) to participate in the class discussion by voicing thoughtful, informed opinions.
Regular attendance and class participation are required. Typically, this course does not require a
lot of reading, just one, or perhaps two, short stories per class. But students MUST read each